U2360° TOUR

There were 50,000 through the doors of the Ataturk Olympic Stadium tonight to mark the band's first ever appearance in Turkey and if the anticipation was high, no-one was let down. The Return of the Stingray Guitar set the scene and by the time Beautiful Day led into New Year's Day Istanbul was jumping.

'Great to see ya...' said Bono, taking a breath. 'Have we the spirit to rock this Olympic Stadium? Where are we going? Ankara... Izmira... Antalya... Istanbul?'

Lots of special touches tonight, all the way through the set, from My Sweet Lord in 'Beautiful Day' to John I'm Only Dancing in 'Crazy' and the girl invited onstage for a dance during In A Little While.

'It took us a while to come to your magical city of Istanbul,' explained Bono. 'What is going on in this country is good for the whole world...
'Its a beautiful bridge...
'From the past into the future...
'From where Europe has been to where Europe needs to go... a bridge of understanding...'

The emotion of the night was never more evident than with the first live performance since Chile in 2006 of Mothers of the Disappeared. It was dedicated 'to the memory of Fehmi Tosun - whose family are with us tonight.' Fehmi disappeared in Turkey in 1995, as the band highlighted on the sleeve of 1997's Pop album.

Extraordinarily poignant to hear this song back in the set - 'We hear their heartbeat...' - and at the end Bono asked everyone, 'Would you please welcome Zulfu Livaneli?'

The famous Turkish artist and political activist received a huge reception telling everyone:
'We are the music makers,
We are the dreamers,
Welome Bono,
Welcome friends to Turkey...'
For a moment Zulfu took over the vocals, his guitarist playing Edge's guitar, Bono watching, hand on chest - the whole audience joining in with this remarkable performer.

At the close of With or Without You, Bono thanked the audience for their patience. 'Let's not make it so long before we come back... alright this is moment of surrender.'

Were you in Istanbul tonight? We want to hear from you. Add your own review and upload your photos below.

COMMENTS

bono, edge,adam, larry....Istanbul and crowd loves you !!! last night's show was unforgettable..
thank you for all, you made us live great moment.!!!
it took soooooo long to see you play here:((
next time, i am sure it will be BIGGER , and hope that the "next time" is NEAR!!!
come again , in Istanbul, IN THIS CITY OF BLINDING LIGHTS!!!!!

murabg1

09 September, 2010

wanderfull night

I was totaly enjoyed of this magical show.
Bono is an artist who has a talent to enchant the people around him. It was an unforgedable experience. I wish all the best to whole band.

09 September, 2010

Wonderful!

I can't explain!

Alexutzu

09 September, 2010

To Brilioth

“Yiğidim Aslanım Burada Yatıyor” (“My hero, the lion, lies here”)

Galeon

09 September, 2010

Supersiniz!

Me and my wife had a great night after waiting for 15 years for U2 to come but i was worth it :)
if I had a chance to organize the set list i would have chosen the same songs..
thank you for a very beautiful night and as Bono said lets not make it so long :)

shiberu

09 September, 2010

The Concert of My Dreams

I have been waiting for this miracle to happen for 18 years! My early youth, my school years, my most beautiful memories... are all filled with U2 and their music. Bono, the Edge, Larry and Adam.. their music has been the tune of my life. But it was impossible, this love I have for them. Because I knew we would never, never meet in Turkey... until now!!! This night, U2 gave me the gift of my life. We finally joined, and now we are ONE. Thank you, U2! Please do come again.

Brilioth

09 September, 2010

Which Zulfu song was it he sang?

Wonderful wonderful concert. I thought the songs with Zulfu Livaneli were the best part of the show. Both Mothers of the disappeared and his own song. Which song was that?

elifo

08 September, 2010

was it real?

I still can not believe if that was real!
Magnificent..
please ,come back..please...

bahram

08 September, 2010

First U2 experience in RED Zone

I'm one of the old fans of U2 from Iran. This was a great opportunity for us Iranians to participate in a concert in an asian country and I hope this happens again soon. We're so grateful of U2 because of their contribution to Iranian's green movement while singing Sunday bloody sunday. That was a greaaaaaat event, but we had so much problems getting the tickets because you can barely find someone in Turkey who can speak enough English, specially in ticket master company.
I can't wait to go to the next concert, hopefully somewhere like Dublin!!

YGE

08 September, 2010

Dream came true in inner circle

It was great to see U2 in Istanbul. The show was super. I was in inner circle, last year I have watched the show from a seat. When I first saw U2 on stage a few meters away from me, I felt as if I was in one of my concert DVDs, it was like a dream for me. I hope U2 liked us too, and come again.

tansel

08 September, 2010

Istanbu #1 is me!!!!

i went to stadium at 4pm on sunday. no one was there!!! i wait like 15 hours by myself :) nobody knows about the "first 2500 people"!! they told me "go home the show is tomorrow"... but i wait to the end and it was a fantastic show!!

Herkent

08 September, 2010

Great nignt

Bono, The Edge,Adam and Larry was great. Only one point Bono must have attended to Turkish politicians. Lay Turkish people really don't like the names, Bono told at the concert. Sorry for "boooo" and reaction but the reaction was not wrong.
Anyway, songs were fabulous, Bono, The Edge, Adam and Larry's performance was incredible.
I hope you come back again without the "names"...

08 September, 2010

Great man Adam

wish we could play together onetime.
Ekin Kislali

08 September, 2010

Tesekkurler

Thanking you for taking a great leap an having the concert at magnificent Istanbul. We enjoyed and reached to the moment where everything was worth for receiving you.
As a Turk I always kept mark of your underlines in your albums about the the victims who were lost. We cherished them and I hope thousands did understand you are not a band for hearts but world builder, you are one , we are one.
I uploaded one of the pictures I took for you guys.
Ekin

savasy

08 September, 2010

Best Concert ever

Participating to this show was one of the first items in the 10 things I should do in life. I have left 9 other U2 concerts to go to. We wanna see you soon in Istanbul again, hope in another venue(in the city please).
You rock!!!

Istanbulistheedge

08 September, 2010

Magic of Istanbul

Zulfu and Bono shoulder top shoulder... WOW. I have been listening to U2 and Zulfu over 25 years. Seeing them both on stage together was totaly magical. Gave me goose bumps. Mothers of the Disappeared is of course a special song for a country like Turkey.
Istanbul was glaring in magic that evening. Thank you U2 for for giving us this special night. Out of all the concerts I have seen you in, this has been the most special of all - despite the venue.

t_ruseva

08 September, 2010

Great show, bittersweet experience with

This was the concert I wait for 15 years. Finally it happened and boy, was I excited to get there! I purchased my tickets as soon as they were on pre-sale (even though the courrier cost was as much as two terrain tickets!) and waited for almost a year for the concert to come. I traveled with my husband from Bulgaria to Turkey, Istanbul to see U2.
The concert was beautiful. It would have been even great, if we got there on time - but we couldn't, as we were stuck in a horrible traffic jam and crawled the mere 15 kilometers to the stadium for 3,5 hours (that's right, three and a half hours to get there!) How could one even think such a huge stadium could be reached only by a narrow road, that barely allows two cars to meet?! I saw a lot of people getting out of their cars and desperately trying to walk the rest of the way (5, 4, 3 kilometers...) to see U2, as by car it was oh so slow!
We missed Snow Patrol and got there for the third U2 song (when I heard the band play Mysterious Ways, my all-time favorite, when we were still outside I cried with frustration; it was so not fair - my favorite song started and I still couldn't get inside!); we had to leave shortly before the end of the concert as our baby waited in the hotel for us and we were terrified to get stuck for another 3,5 hours on the way back...
The concert I waited for so long was a bittersweet experience for me. I truly hope to have the chance to see the 360° once again and this time - with better organization. We loved Istanbul and we loved the U2 concert, but we were dissapointed with the experience to get to and from the stadium.

Svilen

08 September, 2010

One less dream

U2 have always been not just my favourite band but so much more - four guys who see the world the way I do, who create music that speaks my language, that have always inspired me, been with me through good and bad, picked me up and elevated me so many times and even got me together with my future wife:) It's simply the soundtrack of my life. So to finally see them literally a couple of meters away from me, bringing my favourite songs to life was just incredible. It was indeed one of my biggest dreams come true after so many years. So, thank you, guys, for this amazing night and for everything you've been doing and sharing with us throughout all those years.
And one more thing, for you there's probably no way of knowing it but there was a really huge number of Bulgarian fans who travelled to Istanbul to see you live. So, Bono, Edge, Larry, Adam, please, please come to Bulgaria at last and realize the dream of so many more people as well. I guarantee you, you'll see 70 000 of the most devoted fans in front of and all around you:)
Until the next time

08 September, 2010

UltravioleT

Million Thanks for coming to our land.. I could see you while you're still rockin magnificent !! Best track was Ultravioletttttttt.. I waited to hear it and I got it !!! and also where the streets have no name! You gave a name to our streets: asia & europe!! Thank you.. I hope you come again!

cavunca

08 September, 2010

U2FUL DAY!

THNX for COMING, bridge crossing is a bad idea during heavy traffic hours, but building bridges between cultures is perfect.
CONCERT? YEAH, WAS PERFECT SHOW,
we are thankful for all the team working in front, on, nearby, behind the stage, no matter where they are...
Special Thanks to Larry for hanging that note in High School, for the first sparkle.
Thanks God making you the U2 and us the audience come together to form such a wonderful energy, as Bono told once in an interview.
WELL; we are U2-lized with that U2-mazed show at that U2-ful night.
WELCOME ANYTIME!!!

RANACANAN

08 September, 2010

Rana Canan has fallen in love again...

I have fallen in love with my band again. I saw the 360Show last year in Barcelona and from that moment I am talking all the time for the show. I had a chance to watch u last year in Paris as well. Now after your magnificent show in Istanbul all of my friends understand what I am feeling and what I m trying to tell them. They had a chance to watch u and live the show. We were in the circle this time. I have the setlist in front of me and I could not pick up only one song. When Bono invited one lady onstage just only five meter away from me I have to confess that I felt jealousy in a little while. But it was gone so quickly. Especially I would like to thank to my brother who made me listen to the U2 songs when I was a teenage girl in the high school. He was with me at the concert to share this memorable moment. Thank u coming to Istanbul after neglecting us for a very very long time…

08 September, 2010

amazing night

We have been waiting a long time... was an amazing night..hope see you again soon...

sorge_sa

08 September, 2010

my 3'rd u2 concert

Istanbul was my third U2 concert, 1'st was in Sarajevo '97, in my hometown, and it was just after the war, terrible war, which Bosnia passed in 90's and it is one of U2 most emotional concerts in their career, like they always said. After that, I had chance to meet Bono,
on his visits to Sarajevo Film festival, then it was last year Zagreb concert, and right now Istanbul. Istanbul concert was the best, by playing, by set list, but failed in one thing,it is shame,that city with 15 milion citizens and Turkey with more 70 milion can not fill 100 thousand Olympic Stadium, U2 deserve that, it was perfect chance to make record of tour, the tickets was cheapest in tour as i read in Hurriyet&, with the bringing Zulfu Livaneli on stage and let him singing own song in middle of concert they showed how much care about Turkey, because as I remember, they are not doing things like this, it was really rare moment, and whole concert and visit to Turkey was rare to U2.Pictures with Erdogan, shows Erdogan and his bored face, while they are visiting him, I saw comments on TV, like CnnTurk, some of analist, ok they can come,they can play, but man said we are giving to them too much attention, they are passing bridge,and comments like this. U2 understand and they are very aware of thing in which way goes Turkey, and because of that they do special night, but I think that Turkey fail, only 40.000 and in that 40 it was at least 15 thousand foreigners,thats really realy shame.
i dont want to spoil all of this,but i just had to written all this critics, because for me it was shocking such small attendance, and I had really great great time, because Sarajevans and I especially, we are connected with U2 on very different level, and also im connected with Istanbul on really special way, and for me it's bit of thing of matter this U2&& story, probably because of this, dissapointment its bigger.
But hearing Miss Sarajevo in Istanbul for me it was an exceptional moment, and New Years Day, my favourite U2 song,which was not in playlisy last year in Zagreb, it was for me highlight of concert.
If Im going to make top list of concert which i saw, it will be 1'st Istanbul,2'nd Sarajevo,3'rd Zagreb

08 September, 2010

thanks U2..

The best concert in Istanbul all of time...

gechi

08 September, 2010

Amazing and emotional!

I just can't find strong enough word to express my happiness that I had the chance to experience U2 concert! :))) AMAZING! :)))))) I want to visit all next ones! U2, Bono... Bulgaria is waiting for you!!! We really were soooooo many in Istanbul!! :)))))))

acid_burn

08 September, 2010

Mila

It was my second U2 concert and I was at the first row again.. the last time was Zagreb.. now Istanbul.. thank you thank you for a magical performance. U2 was the band which made me FEEL, it was the music that made me realize my first emotions and brought up my senses. Thank you for making me feel. It was an amazing, powerful concert full of energy. City of blinding lights and Sunday bloody sunday were some of my favourite moments. Thank you for casting your spell on us.

Alexutzu

08 September, 2010

Organization

I subscribe to the terrible organization comments! you'd expect at least a longer schedule for trains or metros or trams since the stadium it's so far away from the city center. I understand that a metro line will lead to the stadium sometime next year, but until then.... concerts on Ataturk Olympic will have their part of frustration and stress. Otherwise, even I'm not the biggest U2 fan on this forum, it was a great show performed by the guys! Nicely done!

08 September, 2010

Memories

Boy was I inspired when i thought to buy tickets and take my teenage son to his first rock concert! This mother got it right for once....unforgettable,awesome one of the best experiences of my life,all the more so as i was sharing it with my son.Never seen anything like it in my life. Bringing on Zülfü Livaneli was just about the best thing ever,(the best political-commentator through music that there is in Turkey). Come back soon ,İ have another teenager that i've promised the same to........

Nihan

08 September, 2010

The Best Ever

There is no word that can describe the concert night...It is a dream to come true. Thank you Bono Thank you U2. You will be always the best, always on the top.
You are the ONE :)
HOPE TO BE WITH YOU AGAIN

Nihan

08 September, 2010

The Best Ever

There is no word that can describe the concert night...It is a dream to come true. Thank you Bono Thank you U2. You will be always the best, always on the top.
You are the ONE :)
HOPE TO BE WITH YOU AGAIN